Basic Guide to Directions in Japanese

Basic Guide to Directions in Japanese
Sharing with you the road master structure in Japanese, can help you know the way when you get lost in Japan.

Japanese vocabulary shows the direction:
The first thing to give you better directions is to have a good grasp of the direction vocabulary below.

– ひだり (Hidari) : Left

– みぎ (migi) : Right

– まっすぐ (Massugu) : Straight

– まがる (Magaru) : Turn

– みぎにまがる (Migi ni magaru) : Turn right

– ひだりにまがる (Hidari ni magaru) : Turn left

– まっすぐいく (Massugu iku) : Go straight

– 真っすぐ行って下さい ( (massugu ittekudasai) : Please go straight

– 曲がって下さい ((magattekudasai) : Please turn, turn in a certain direction

– で右に曲がって下さい (…de migi ni magatte kudasai) : Please turn right at (location).

– で左に曲がって下さい (…de hidari ni magatte kudasai) : Please turn left (location).

+ Location:

– すぐそこですよ (sugu sokodesuyo) : It’s right there

– 角を曲がったところですよ (kadowo magatta tokoro desuyo) : it’s right around the corner

– しばらく行ったところですよ (shibaraku itta tokoro desuyo) : Must go quite far to arrive.

– …を通り過ぎて (…wo tourisugite) : Passing by …

– …の中を通って (…no nakawo tootte) : go through…

– ….の隣 (…no tonari) : Next to …

– …の上 (…no ue) : above …

– …の向かい (…no mukai) : on the opposite side …

– …の手前／過ぎてすぐ (… no temae/ sugitesugu) : before … / as soon as passing …

– 角にあります (kadoni arimasu) : On the corner

– 突き当たりにある (tsukiatarini aru) : at the end of the road.

– …通り沿い (… dourizoi) : along the street ..

– すぐ分かりますよ (sugu wakarimasuyo) : you will see immediately.

Sample Japanese questions for directions:
If you get lost or don’t know where the direction is, the following Japanese sugar question form will help you.

すみません、道に迷ってしまいました。今どこにいますか？
Sumimasen,-dō ni mayotte shimaimashita. Ima doko ni imasu ka?
Sorry, I am lost, where am I now?

ここは何通りですか・この通りは何と言いますか。おしえてもらえませんか?
Koko wa nani-dōridesu ka kono tōri wa nan to iimasu ka. Oshiete moraemasen ka
Sorry, what is this route / street? Or what is the name of this street / street? Can you show me?

すみません、私はどこですか？見せてもらえますか。
Sumimasen, watashi wa dokodesu ka? Misete moraemasu ka.
Excuse me, where am I? Can you show me

すみません、。。。への行き方を教えてもらえませんか。
Sumimasen,… E no ikikata o oshiete moraemasen ka
Excuse me, can you show me the way to…?

すみません、。。。へ行きたいんですが、どうやっていけますか？
Sumimasen,… E ikitai ndesuga, dō yatte ikemasu ka?
Sorry, I want to go to … can you show me how to get there?

すみません、ここから。。。まで遠いですか？どのぐらいかかりますか？
Sumimasen, koko kara… Made tōidesu ka? Dono kurai kakarimasu ka?
Sorry, from here to … is it far? How long does it take from here to …?

すみません、ここにはバス停がありませんか？
Sumimasen,… E aruite itte mo īdesu ka?
Excuse me, is there a bus stop here?

Read more: How to Ask and Give Directions in Japanese